Depend on how far we are going!

It was about 2,600 years ago. One day, a man came to the Buddha. The man said he had to go for a trip and asked what he should prepare for his trip.

The Buddha asked the man how far was his trip. The man said he did not know exactly yet.

Then, the Buddha said, “Alright, I will give you three kinds of nature of preparations for three kinds of trips. If you are going for a short term trip, you need to prepare your energy because the success of a short term trip usually depends on the strength of (physical) power. If you are going for a mid term trip, you need to practice to make determinations because the success of a mid term trip usually depends on rightness of making serious decisions. If you are going for a long term trip, you need to have strong mind and spirit because the success of a long term trip usually depends on the strength of will power.”

What we should prepare depends on how far we are going.

Thank you and have a good day.

Picture: http://ugaol.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/buddha.jpeg

Quote of the Week: We will ReBuild!

“We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before!”

President Barack Obama

Source and Picture: CNN / BBC

Advice: 3 Rs to Rebuild;
Reduce (reconsider) all unnecessary costs and efforts.
Recharge.
Renew American family spirit (as always).

The Greatest Gift for a Teacher

Today, I met one of my teachers who taught me English speaking in our ELI class. My teacher and I had some conversation around. One of categories during the conversation was about my former classmates who transferred to four year colleges. My former classmates are now studying in several fields, such as business management, dentist, nursing, sociology and so on. I told my teacher to take a great appreciation on it and it is the greatest gift for a teacher.

When I was a teacher, I always told my students that ‘let me look at you above so high!’ I told them I would like to see that you guys become presidents, ministers, generals, doctors, engineers, managers, teachers, etc. ‘Let me see your strength! Let me see your growth!’ And when they become the persons who own high positions with high responsibilities, I really appreciate on it as “Look at my students! Look at that general, that doctor, that engineer! He is my boy. She is my girl. They are from my class!”

That appreciation is the greatest gift ever for a teacher in his or her life, since teachers are half-parents! Nothing can replace on that appreciation in a deepest place of a teacher's heart!

Thank you.

Picture: http://www.thedctraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/jefferson-memorial-at-cherry-blossom-time.JPG

I will think Twice.

Through out the phone calls, e-mails and personal discussions, I have chance to realize that on my blogging pages – sometimes, people do not understand what I mean, or they misunderstand. Why have those things been happening? I evaluate by myself. The followings are a few mean reasons to answer that question:

(1) English Skill

I can write, read, speak and listen to English, but none of them is perfect, yet. One of the mean reasons for creation this blog was – to enhance my English writing. Within four years in the United States, my English writing has improved for some points but for the most parts, I cannot exactly write - what do I mean; what do I want to express, yet, because of lack of vocabulary, lack of grammar, lack of writing experience, etc. Nevertheless, I will be trying my best to be available to express exactly what I mean.

(2) High Level International Experience

I had some life experiences in several fields because I was a clerk, a merchant, a soldier, a university student, a teacher, a boatman, a Buddhist monk, a farmer, a factory worker, etc. None of them was high level international standardized, which means my postings will not be standardized or perfected. But I will be trying to be more completed as much as I can.

(3) Dreams, Wishes and Sharing

Many pages are just expressing my dreams and wishes openly; sharing with my readers. It does not mean ‘a project’ or ‘a plan’ or ‘a procedure’ or ‘something for list to do.’ Through out my seeing, hearing, acting, reacting, and so on, sometimes, I also write my feelings as I wish. Sometimes, it is just a suggestion about – this could probably be better; this could probably work; etc.

I will be thinking Twice.

Whatever it is, later, I will think twice before I post my pages on the following two areas:
First: Whether if it is exactly what I mean or not.
Second: What are positives and negatives?

Thank you for your understanding.

Have a good day!

Picture: http://markwilcox.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/thinker.gif

Together, time to save the world!

A few minutes ago, I was finding appropriate pictures in the web about the titles of – ‘animal fighting,’ ‘peoples’ fighting,’ ‘forest fire,’ ‘peoples’ fighting in the fire,’ etc.
Why I was looking for those pictures was - because of the following reason.

Animals often fight in normal, usual times.
Peoples? They are always fighting, humiliating and segregating each other, one group to another in normal, usual times.

When the forest fire, which is the biggest danger for everybody comes, all animals run together to be evacuated; no fight; no eat each other.
Hundreds of thousands of people are becoming jobless every single day. How long will our society be stability? How do we protect to not to fall into the darkest holes? Every single corner of the world or every country is getting economic problem, which is the same like ‘forest fire’ for all of us. Peoples? They are still fighting in the forest fire.

Whoever we are, whatever we may believe in, wherever we may live, which ismever we may practice, this is the time to work together to save the world, and in order to evacuate our peoples.

We are solving problems by ourselves. Every nation is doing it by their way. At the same time, we need to solve problems altogether, especially highly productive and economic powers. This is time to forget about isms (at least for a while). This is time to think about solutions together; time to come up with what we have and what they have in order to reach for the common goal. At the same time, it is not only solving economic problems, it creates mutual understanding, mutual respect and better bilateral relationships between or among the countries and nationalities, which will create better future for all of us.

Together, this is time to save the world!

Thank you.


http://img.timeinc.net/time/2007/environment/images/opener.jpg

A Smile at the Mirror

When everybody has difficulties,
The only thing, which will make survive for all of us,
That is mutual (true) respect and understanding.
This is hardest time for all of us.
We need to support each other.
We need to understand each other.
We need to respect each other.
We need to share each other.

Whoever we are,

Whatever we believe,

Which Ismever we practice,

Wherever we stand for,

We all come from Only One race,

Which is the 'Human Race!'
Let us look at the mirror with ‘a smile’.
Then, we will see ‘a smile’ at the mirror back.
In the process of that smiling, who need to start that smile between by ourselves and the mirror?
Actually, Both (at the same time)!
Welcome to our secretary of state’s Tour to Asia!!!

Picture: http://www.treehugger.com/us-china-eu-flags-080829.jpg
http://theliberaldemocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/cache/369_NewsPGMPHov.jpg

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

We, the people, should sing Barney’s song every day.
At least a piece of it: I LOVE YOU! YOU LOVE ME! WE ARE HAPPY FAMILY!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Picture: http://www.thecostumeshop.ie/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/barney.jpg

I will walk slowly.

Last week, we borrowed a book of Abraham Lincoln from library for kids. Today, I read a few pages of that book for my kids.

A great thing, which I learned from Abe, is – ‘walk slowly and surely but no backward.’
Sometimes, I am participating for making Peace in the Middle East and around the world. Just this morning, I posted about good news from Chicago Tribune about Hama’s saying to OK truce.

The way I really want is – to try to solve problems on the table, not in the battle ground. “Fighting” should be the last exit, inevitably. For the first terms, that is all what I mean. I will never mean to harm any country’s territory, national spirit and any person’s belief and standing. As I posted before, everybody must have national spirit. For Israel, they must have strong national spirit and strong arm forces. Even if they have lack of military, I will truly worry for it for several reasons. Palestinians also must have strong national spirit and arms. The only thing we should do first is – to try to solve problems on the table. I also truly believe that one day they (both of Israelis and Palestinians) will understand what I have been trying to do, probably, after I died.

There are hundreds of nations are existing with borders and sometimes with conflicts. If we think about – if the big conflicts have occurred in the borders between India and Pakistan, Russia and China, or China and India, how it will be? They all are very powerful countries, with large military and atomic weapons. Between India and Pakistan, often we have seen the conflicts but for the most part, they tried to solve problems through out diplomats, with openness talking, with compromising, etc. If those countries eager to fight in every conflict, nobody could exactly imagine the consequences of it. Why those other countries can solve border conflicts by that way? So, why not between Arabs and Israelis?

As a world citizen, I will be participating in things, which I believe in to be with it. I love humanity. I love participation. We all love peace, too. I will be walking on this path, but slowly because I feel I still need to learn many things.

Thank you. Have a good, safe and peaceful day!

Chicago Olympics 2016!!!

Today, I see the television news about Chicago Olympic 2016. I heartily wish that dream become true.
Warmly welcome to Chicago Olympic 2016!
We are very proud of to be Illini.
This is the land of Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States and one of the greatest leaders in the world history.
This is the native land of Ronald Reagan, 40th president of the United States, one of the greatest presidents.
This is the land of Barack Obama, 44th and current president of the United States and current most famous leader in the world.
This is the land of Nobel Peace Price winner (1930), reformer Jane Addams.
This is the land of nuclear physicist, Nobel Prize winner (1938), Enrico Fermi.
This is the land of Nobel Prize winner (1976), author Saul Bellow.
This is the land of Nobel Prize winner (1976), economist Milton Friedman.
This is the land of one of Ernest Hemingway, one of the most famous novelists in the world.
This is the land of famous novelist John Dos Passos.
This is the land of famous novelist Edgar Rice Burroughs.
This is the land of Ernie Banks, one of the most famous basketball players.
This is the land of famous Jurist Harry A. Blackmun.
This is the land of famous Jurist, John Paul Stevens.
This is the land of famous politician William Jennings Bryan.
This is the land of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American citizen to be canonized.
This is the land of famous lawyer, Clarence Darrow.
This is the land of famous musician Miles Davis.
This is the land of famous choreographer, Robert Louis Fosse.
This is the land of famous musician, Benny Goodman.
This is the land of famous actor, Charlton Heston.
This is the land of famous actor, William Holden.
This is the land of famous poet, Vachel Lindsay.
This is the land of famous poet Gwendolyn Brooks.
This is the land of famous poet, Archibald MacLeish.
This is the land of famous poet, Carl Sandburg.
This is the land of famous architect, Ludwig Mies van derRohe.
This is the land of professional baseball player, manager and merchant, Albert G. Spalding.
This is the land of famous actress, Gloria Weanson.
This is the land, where O’ hare airport; world’s busiest airport in terms of takeoffs and landings is existed.
This is the land, where Chicago University; one of the top ten universities in the world is existed.
Actually, Illinois still has many other famous places.
We also have some problems but as former US President and one of the most famous Illini, Ronald Reagan said in his speech of Challenger crew’s misfortunate event; “Nothing has to Diminish in it!”
Go Illinois! Go Chicago! Chicago Olympic 2016!!!

Source: The New York Times Almanac (2007)

Picture: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/222/463705022_e340be0af6.jpg
http://onewaystreet.typepad.com/one_way_street/images/olympic_stadium_2.jpg
http://z.about.com/d/honeymoons/1/0/b/X/01spirit-of-chicago.jpg
http://www.worldculturepictorial.com/images/content/4_cities_finalists_summer_olympics_.2016.jpg

This is the Time!

This it not time to blame who made those mistakes yesterday.
But this is the time to fix those mistakes because today it is ours.
This is not time to point fingers to whom to whom for the mass.
But this is the time to clean those masses because those are in our hands.
This is not time to play around with bitterly splits.
But this is the time to carefully unite.
This is not time to taste the food and say ‘salty.’
But this is the time to come up with better ‘recipe.’
This is not time to saying – it is not mine.
But this is the time to realize that it is absolutely yours.
This is not time to laugh at others because of their dumbness.
But this is the time to show up your smartness.
This is not time to 306 million people are going by 306 million ways.
But this is the time 306 million people to stand as an only one person.
Let us leave better lives for our children, children’s children.
Let us leave better community for our children, children’s children.
Let us leave better country for our children, children’s children.
Let us leave better world for our children, children’s children!
God bless America!
God bless our world!

Picture: http://worldmapsonline.com/images/OutlineMaps/Flags/UnitedStates2.jpg
http://starchildglobal.com/starchild/nadmed3.jpg

Modern Turtles and Modern People

Dear my reader,

I highly expect that you knew the race between a hare and a turtle, one of Aesop’s fables, which the turtle won because of hare’s asleep on the way with underestimation on the turtle’s running ability. Any way, have you been read about the modern race between hare and turtle? Once, I have read it in a book. In a modern race between hare and turtle, turtle won again. The challenger was also a turtle. But this time, the hare did not sleep. Hare did not underestimate on running ability of turtle. As naturally, hare can run absolutely much, much, much faster than turtle. So, how that happened? How could turtle win over the hare?

When turtle asked hare for the race, turtle said that, “Hi my friend, this time, I won’t underestimate on your running ability and I won’t sleep on the way. I could run my fastest, till I cross the finished line.” The turtle said “It was fine,” with a smile. Hare trust on turtle though he did not understand why turtle challenged on him. And hare also did not know that the turtle had a twin brother who was exactly the same in size, weight, voice, almost everything the same.

As soon as the race began, the hare run the fastest as he could. Turtle run, too. Of cause, hare could run fifty times faster than the turtle. Nevertheless, the challenged turtle sent a message to his twin brother by iPhone, already. When exhausted hare got the finished line, turtle was already there. Hare did not believe his eyes. He knew how he passed over the turtle even in the beginning line. Whatever, the winner was the Turtle in the race.

Question:

(1) How many modern turtles have you seen in your life time?

Note: Next time, I will tell you about Sense Power of the Snakes. Thanks!

Picture: http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2006/11/11.html

Misidentification II: No Guarding Marine is Allowed to be in the Sea for Three Days!

This is a true interesting story, which I have learned in Burma. Sometimes, some people systematically create misinformation for their benefits.

It was in Pathein, the capital city of Irrawaddy Division of Burma. Irrawaddy delta is the most rice productive area in Burma. One of my friends who studied in Rangoon was from Pathein and his parents were extremely rich. They were billionaires (in Burmese currency). According to my friends’ sharing in restaurant, I had a chance to know about this story.

In 1980s, illegally exporting rice from Burma to Bangladesh by watering route was a trend because the rice price in Bangladesh was three to five times more than the price in Burma. Even many people from our village used to be in the business and some people became rich. Any way, my friends’ father owned more than ten big ships those can cross the sea with thousands of rice bags. He owned those ships half legally and half illegally. You could confuse. On those days, Burma was a socialist country. If somebody had too much things, you know what happened. All possessions could become the government’s. So he had to keep those possessions cleverly, half-half.

Any way, since my friend’s father was participating with a lot of money in the rice exporting process illegally, he had to approach systematically, rather than just taking risk. It was amazing the way how he worked out was. Those rich people approached the Executive Director of Weather Department of Burma. It was just like a chess playing. The group of rich people gave about two million per month to that director very secretly. On the day the rice ships could departure to Bangladesh, there was an emergency announcement by the Weather Department through the highest person’s special order - “It is estimated that there will be a storm within coming three days!” Then, what happened as consequences. All marines from guarding navy ships were in the land (three days off) because of weather security matter, they were not allowed to be in the sea. It created the best and safest situation for the illegal rice exporting ships. Do you see the process now? You may amaze sometimes, how people are powerfully, systematically creating and playing around!

I am just giving you a little tip that sometimes misinformation are systematically created by the insiders, through out my experience. Thank you.

Picture: http://www.montereybay.com/creagrus/Sandpiper_west-juv-oct.jpg

Misidentification I: Different Language, Culture and Background

Yesterday, I was watching and listening to the congressmen and congresswomen’s discussions in Congress at C-Span channel. One of the topics was about ‘Misidentification.’ Then, I have been thinking about it. (Actually I am also thinking many other things. I will discuss with you later for the other issues.)

One of the reasons, which misidentification comes from, is misinformation. At the same time, misinformation often comes from misunderstanding among the people with different language, culture and background.

Different language and culture background often make misunderstanding, which create misinformation among the people. For example, as a traditional Buddhist, I always gives my fully respect to my parents, my teachers, which could probably be different from some other people in the world. In my regards, my mother is always my mother to whom I always give my respect and love. She might be a jobless. She might be an uneducated person. She might not be a wealthy person. No matter it is, she is my mom. I love her. Originally, traditionally, unconditionally, I love her.

I also always fully give my respect to my teachers. When I was a young student, some teachers were often drunk, even in the classroom. Some teachers had secret girlfriends, even with the students. Again, no matter it is, unconditionally, we respect them. They are my teachers.

Similarly, I often go to churches. It does not mean I am converting to be a Christian. I had a beautiful Muslim girlfriend. It does not mean I was going to be a Muslim. I have many beloved Chinese friends and I love to learn Marxism, biographies of Lenin, Stalin, Che, Hochiminn, ideas of Mao, etc. It doest not mean I am going to be a Communist. All those things are my life-long learning processes, with my respect on the other people’s religion, culture, ideas and policies.

I have my standing. I will be standing on it till I die. I totally believe that ‘True Peace’ only comes from Love and Respect each other between the opposites. You could make temporary peace through out the bombing, winning, pressuring. How many lives, futures, beliefs, faiths were destroyed for that forceful peace, do you know? And what will be the consequences? How long? Where is the end? The other question is - do you believe you are always will be the winner? How many strongest (forceful) empires (what they thought by themselves) in the world history were destroyed already? You could learn enough from the past, I hope.

I will always be standing for my standing, for my belief and for my faith. Nobody or nothing could stop or interrupt me from it. I also fully accept any kind of consequences for my standing, faith and belief.

Any way, please don’t misunderstand on my standing, belief and faith. I will also fully give my heartily respect on the other peoples’ standings, beliefs and faiths. Thank you.

Picture: http://www.montereybay.com/creagrus/Sandpiper_west-juv-oct.jpg

When the Rain Comes

(1)

When the rain comes,
A few people get trouble because their huts do not have good roofs.
When the rain comes,
A few travelers say it is bad because they forgot to bring umbrellas.
When the rain comes,
A few people say it is awful because they are drying woods in order to make fire.
When the rain comes,
Some roads get nasty because they are made by mud.
When the rain comes,
A few birds get problem because they are lazy to make nests.

(2)

When the rain comes,
All farmers plow their rice and plants in order to feed billions of other people!
When the rain comes,
All lakes are full with fresh water in order to feed the people in summer!
When the rain comes,
Countless, nameless fishes have grand opportunities in order to give births!
When the rain comes,
All trees are fresh, green and have full energy!
When the rain comes,
All grasses are fresh, green, energetic and beautiful!
When the rain comes,
The frogs are singing songs!
When the rain comes,
All flowers are beautifully blossom!

(3)

Peaceful Rain!
Priceless Rain!
Essential Rain!

Picture: http://www.outscape.net/bocas/archives/entries/images/dscn1798.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/211/486392696_08b5af4013.jpg